Row-diagonal parity technique for enabling efficient recovery from double failures in a storage array

Abstract

A “row-diagonal” (R-D) parity technique reduces overhead of computing diagonal parity for a storage array adapted to enable efficient recovery from the concurrent failure of two storage devices in the array. The diagonal parity is computed along diagonal parity sets that collectively span all data disks and a row parity disk of the array. The parity for all of the diagonal parity sets except one is stored on the diagonal parity disk. The R-D parity technique provides a uniform stripe depth and an optimal amount of parity information.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present invention is related to the following co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 035,603 filed on Dec. 28, 2001 titled, Correcting Multiple Block Data Loss in a Storage Array Using a Combination of a Single Diagonal Parity Group and Multiple Row Parity Groups, which was filed on even date herewith and which application is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to arrays of storage systems and, more specifically, to a technique for efficiently reconstructing any one or combination of two failing storage devices of a storage array.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A storage system typically comprises one or more storage devices into which data may be entered, and from which data may be obtained, as desired. The storage system may be implemented in accordance with a variety of storage architectures including, but not limit...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0036]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an environment 200 including a storage system 220 that may be advantageously used with the present invention. The inventive technique described herein may apply to any type of special-purpose (e.g., file server or filer) or general-purpose computer, including a standalone computer or portion thereof, embodied as or including a storage system 220. Moreover, the teachings of this invention can be adapted to a variety of storage system architectures including, but not limited to, a network-attached storage environment, a storage area network and a disk assembly directly-attached to a client or host computer. The term “storage system” should therefore be taken broadly to include such arrangements in addition to any subsystems configured to perform a storage function and associated with other equipment or systems.

[0037]In the illustrative embodiment, the storage system 220 comprises a processor 222, a memory 224 and a storage adapter 228 inter...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present invention is related to the following co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 035,603 filed on Dec. 28, 2001 titled, Correcting Multiple Block Data Loss in a Storage Array Using a Combination of a Single Diagonal Parity Group and Multiple Row Parity Groups, which was filed on even date herewith and which application is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to arrays of storage systems and, more specifically, to a technique for efficiently reconstructing any one or combination of two failing storage devices of a storage array.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A storage system typically comprises one or more storage devices into which data may be entered, and from which data may be obtained, as desired. The storage system may be implemented in accordance with a variety of storage architectures including, but not limit...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0036]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an environment 200 including a storage system 220 that may be advantageously used with the present invention. The inventive technique described herein may apply to any type of special-purpose (e.g., file server or filer) or general-purpose computer, including a standalone computer or portion thereof, embodied as or including a storage system 220. Moreover, the teachings of this invention can be adapted to a variety of storage system architectures including, but not limited to, a network-attached storage environment, a storage area network and a disk assembly directly-attached to a client or host computer. The term “storage system” should therefore be taken broadly to include such arrangements in addition to any subsystems configured to perform a storage function and associated with other equipment or systems.

[0037]In the illustrative embodiment, the storage system 220 comprises a processor 222, a memory 224 and a storage adapter 228 inter...

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